The Hybrids (Impossible Twins series)

Prologue

Ivy’s P.O.V

It’s dark. I don’t know where I am, all I can see are the silhouettes of trees, everywhere, and also very tall plants, which look like vines, tall flowers, and bushes. I can barely see the sky through the treetops, but can see that it is pink with different shades of orange, which means the sun is starting to set.

I’m hiding behind a tree, my hands are tucked to my chest, and my back is flat against the trunk. The bark scratches my skin through my t-shirt. I can’t hear any animals, or people. All I can hear is the thing that is chasing me, moving around. It’s sniffing and growling, trying to find where I went, and trying to find my brother, Nick. He is somewhere in these woods, but I don’t dare to call out to him, as the creature is close and it will definitely hear me. I hope Nick is safe.

I move my hand down to my belt, trying to keep movements to a minimum as I feel around for my dagger. When my hand finds it, I grab it and pull it free from its holder. I know it won’t kill the creature, if I manage to hit it, but it might slow it down, which is all I should need to get a head start. The dagger slips from my fingers, which are slippery from sweat. I snatch it back quickly, but grab the wrong end, and the blade cuts into my hand. I put my good hand over my mouth to try and muffle the gasp that nearly escapes. I wrap my injured hand in my t-shirt, before any blood can drip to the ground. I have my magic shields up so it can’t smell the blood yet, but if it hits the floor it will. I take a deep breath and once my fingers are healed, I absorb the blood back inside myself, so the creature can’t smell it.

I hear it stop moving. It takes a deep breath, then darts off. Its footsteps sound further away when it slows down and starts sniffing again. So, I take the opportunity and make a run for it, as fast as I can. I don’t look behind me, as that will slow me down, but I can hear it chasing me, and it sounds like it is getting closer. I manage to keep ahead of it, but only just. I hear another set of footsteps to my right. I don’t look but catch a scent, and can tell that it is Nick, trying to get away.

I jump over logs and bushes, trying my best not to trip on anything. If I did that, it would definitely kill me. I can see the edge of the woods in front of me, and relief floods through me. I might actually get there. I can hear Nick is in front, so I hope he makes it to safety. We know this creature doesn’t like the sunlight, and there is enough of it left to scare it off. There is also a ley line portal, which we discovered the creature can’t travel through.

I feel something small and hard whack into my back and bounce off. I fall forwards and land hard and roll, until I’m on my hands and knees. I turn and see the creature standing there. It looks like a medium sized black dog, but it is definitely not. It is a lot more dangerous than a dog. Its claws are longer, and its teeth are sharper. It is also a lot faster, stronger and deadlier than a dog. Its claws and teeth produce a deadly poison, and it was created, by a group called The Scientists, to kill the supernatural. It’s staring at me intensely, not moving. There is a bit of distance between us, as it bounced off my back in the opposite direction to the way I rolled. I throw my dagger, that is somehow still in my hand, and it hits the creature in the chest, but it doesn’t seem phased by it at all. It pounces and is about to land on me, but I roll to the right and something hits the creature, making it go flying to the left. It’s Nick.

So many emotions run through me at the sight of my brother. Relief, that he has come to help, joy, that he is okay, anger that he has put himself in danger, and dread, that he is going to get hurt. While I’m focusing on Nick, The Dog takes the opportunity and pounces at me again. Nick gets up and I move back, but neither of us move quick enough to stop it. It lands on me and digs its claws into the top of my chest. I scream in pain, but manage to stay focused and grab the dagger that is still in its chest and use it to stab The Dog over and over again, trying to seriously injure it, as it is near impossible to kill. After about five hits it finally lets go. But it goes after Nick instead. I get up but I’m bleeding badly and its poison has already started to take effect. Everything is swaying and spinning, making me feel sick from it, and I can’t walk straight. I hear Nick screaming but can’t get my eyes to focus enough to see where he is. I fall to the ground and immediately start to get back up, but everything has gone quiet. My heart starts pounding faster and faster, as panic sets in for Nick’s life. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, giving them a second to sort themselves out, and focus. I open them and can see properly, as something in my blood, that no-one else has, starts fighting against the poison.

I can see Nick lying on the floor, covered in blood. He isn’t breathing right. His chest isn’t moving properly, like one of his lungs isn’t working. The Dog looks up and off into the distance, as if it is listening to something, and runs off without looking at me. I run to Nick’s side and fall to the floor next to him. He grabs my hand. I squeeze his tightly. There are deep wounds all over his torso and blood is pouring from them. I can see his ribs. I place my other hand on his chest and mutter a spell. I close my eyes and focus. I don’t have a lot of energy left, but I have to stop the bleeding. I open my eyes, to see if it has worked, it has, and that the wounds are no longer bleeding. Now I need to help him heal. I can worry about my chest later. So, I ignore the pain and try not to panic for Nick, but his wounds are nasty, and I don’t know how much more he can take.

He stops breathing. I lose it. I scream at the top of my lungs, as it feels like my heart has been ripped from my chest, and torn to shreds. I hit him in the chest as hard as I can, no longer able to think clearly. I just keep hitting him over and over and over again. I just need him to take a breath. I won’t let him die. I can’t live without him. I won’t live without him. I scream his name and give one of the biggest hits to his chest.

He takes a breath.